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Mountaineer Casino, Resort & Races said wagering on its live racing product is up sharply ahead of West Virginia Derby weekend, with purse levels also increasing year over year.
According to the track, live wagering from Jan. 1 through Aug. 5 reached $89 million in 2026, up from $69 million over the same span in 2025. Average daily purses also rose to $105,647 per program from $94,777, an 11.5% increase.
The West Virginia racetrack is preparing to host the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby as part of a 125-date meet that runs through Dec. 9.
Mountaineer says handle has climbed as field sizes improve
Mountaineer racing director Mike Bish said the daily average handle so far in 2026 is about $1.5 million, with some nights reaching $1.8 million to $2 million.
Bish attributed part of the improvement to off-season work in the stable area and on the turf course. He said 400 unusable stalls were repaired, helping bring the barns to 95% capacity and increasing the number of horses stabled on site.
He also said the turf course was reseeded and re-fertilized, though weather-related rain has still forced some races off the grass.
Jami Poole said export handle on many nights is now almost double prior levels and described the current conditions at the track positively.
Purses are also moving higher at the West Virginia track
In addition to wagering gains, Mountaineer said average daily purses have increased from $94,777 in 2025 to $105,647 through Aug. 5, 2026.
Bish said the longer-term plan is to keep increasing purses gradually while also trying to improve race quality and still accommodate smaller barns.
The story is notable for West Virginia racing because it points to higher betting activity and larger purses at one of the state’s casino racetracks heading into one of its signature racing weekends.
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Mountaineer is set to host West Virginia Derby weekend, and the Mountaineer HBPA plans to sell T-shirts and hats on the racetrack apron during the event to raise money for the Mountaineer Park Chaplaincy. The source did not break out how much of the wagering increase came specifically from on-track betting versus export or simulcast wagering.
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Source: As reported by Tom LaMarra.
